Love Beyond the Afterlife
by inlettersneversent
Summary: Everyone knows the stories of Imhotep & Anck-su-Namun and Rick & Evy. But what happens after Seti's death? Who is Pharaoh? This is the love story of Ramses and Nefri, and their modern counterparts Ardeth and Nadia.
1. Chapter 1

So I've had this story on my mind for a long time. I noticed that there weren't a lot of stories involving Ardeth Bay in ancient Egyptian times, so I wanted to write one, having Ardeth as Ramses II, son of Seti I. (Because honestly, I couldn't picture him as fat old Seti I, so I made him into Ramses II even though he wasn't really involved in the movies. Oh well, he will definitely be involved in this story.) Nefri is my own OC.

You know the drill people, I don't own anything. (Except Nefri!) I'm not profiting from this story. (I wish I owned Ardeth Bay, but nooooooooooo.)

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(Pharoah Seti I's Royal Court) Nefri: Age 5, Ramses: Age 11, Nefertiri: Age 7

_"Father!" A little girl broke past the imposing Med-Jai at the door of the royal sanctum. "Father!" She ran down the long hallway lined with columns and loitering nobles. She reached the dais and leaped into the lap of an imposing Pharoah. He smiled indulgently at his youngest daughter. _

_"Yes, Nefri? What is it you wish?" He wrapped an arm around his energetic offspring. Before she could answer, however, the great double doors opened again and in strode his son and prince of the kingdom, Ramses. Nefri sat up, quite confused, at the sight of someone unfamiliar. He was tall, and handsome for an 11 year old. His eyes, oddly enough, were a light shade of brown, instead of the chocolate color that Nefri and Nefertiri had inherited from their father. He had the high cheekbones that Pharoah so loved in his concubines and wives. It wasn't surprising that the children of said concubines would inherit them. His countenance had the royal bearing that each member of the royal family inherently possessed. His torso was bared, as was the fashion of the royal court. On his arms were thick bands of gold and silver, winding up his arms. He cast a cursory glance at the occupants of the room, lingering for a moment on the little girl in his father's lap. He knelt in front of the dais, murmuring his respect to his father.  
_

_"Son." Seti addressed the boy in front of him. "I have a special duty for you. I wish for you to teach your sister here, the art of the sword. She must be able to defend herself if the need arises." Nefri looked at her father in shock, then back at the boy who was apparently her brother. She'd never met him before, the royal children having been isolated by gender. She and Nefertiri, her older sister, had been raised together, but she had never met a brother, though she knew that her father had a son. _

_"Yes, father." Ramses stood, and beckoned to Nefri, who, after a moment's hesitation, hopped off Seti's lap and followed her brother obediently. He led her to the training grounds of the Med-Jai, where a few intimidating Med-Jai were swinging long swords and sparring. As Nefri watched, wide eyed, she barely noticed Ramses going off and coming back with a dagger._

_"What is your name?" He asked the little girl gently. _

_"Nefri." She said proudly. It was tradition for girls born in the family to be named Nefertiri or Nefertari. She was proud of her unique name.  
_

_"I am Ramses." He handed her the dagger. "This is how you hold a dagger. . . " _

_

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_

"_Make way! Make way for the High Priest!" Children and adults alike scrambled out of the way of the imposing figure of the High Priest, Aapep. Not sparing the hurrying people a glance, the elderly priest swept past the Med-Jai at the gates of the royal palace, leading a procession of apprehensive young boys, candidates to be the next high priest. Nefri and Ramses paused in her lesson, looking at the motley grouping of boys that had suddenly descended upon the courtyard. Ramses took the moment to appraise his young half sister. He was the son of Seti's Great Royal Wife, but Nefri was the daughter of Seti's treasured concubine, Salihah, who was anything but agreeable as her name suggested. From what he had seen of her daughter, she took after Salihah in tenacity. She'd refused to stop training until she could throw a dagger perfectly at a target 50 meters away. _

_Ramses smiled suddenly. She really was quite tiny for her age, only coming up to the middle of his stomach. But what she lacked in stature she made up for in spirit. She wasn't like the simpering court girls he'd had the misfortune of knowing. She didn't fall all over herself to flatter him. She told him what she thought, without bothering to sugar coat it to please him. As they'd trained, she'd told him that she thought it was stupid to isolate them from each other. She'd told him that she thought arranged marriages were stupid and that when he became pharoah, she hoped he'd do away with them. He'd stopped short for a moment, then impulsively promised her that he'd never force her into a marriage. He was rewarded in his efforts with a happy beam. He was surprised at himself, but didn't allow it to show on his face. He was a master of his own emotions, rarely allowing rash impulses to govern himself. As the only surviving son of a pharoah that was getting on years, he could not afford any political missteps that might have been a result of a burst of temper or an act of rash emotion. He looked down at his sister, who'd taken to his lesson like a moth to flame, as she continued talking. She confessed that she hadn't even known what he'd looked like, and he was her brother. Ramses chuckled to himself as he remembered another thing that she'd told him. _

"You have really beautiful eyes." _She'd declared. _"They're unique. I like them."_ He'd looked__ at her, and had seen nothing but honesty in her own dark brown eyes. He'd laughed, and complimented her own eyes. He enjoyed her bluntness. It was difficult to find a girl who'd actually speak her own mind in Pharoah's court. _

_He was broken out of his reverie as Nefri nudged him in the leg. "Look, are those the high priest's apprentices?" He eyed the row of boys that had lined up in the courtyard a distance away. Many of them appeared no older than he himself. Most were eying him and his younger sister with curiosity. As he met their gazes, they dropped their eyes and bowed their heads, acknowledging his status. The High Priest himself, Aapep, approached. _

_"Greetings, my prince and princess. I would like a favor, if it pleases your Highness." _

_"Greetings, High Priest. What is the favor?" Ramses responded. _

_"I would like your assistance in eliminating the first round of candidates for my successor." The High Priest smiled, revealing a row of cracked, yellowing teeth. Nefri made a small noise of disgust and pressed closer into Ramses's leg. _

_"What would happen to the eliminated candidates?" Nefri asked, peeking around from her brother's leg. _

_"They'd be returned to their homes, little Princess." Aapep smiled upon the tiny girl. _

_Nefri looked troubled, and whispered up to her brother. "Ramses, the families of these boys are depending on them being chosen for the High Priest. Many have no money, or food, how will they survive if their son is suddenly returned to them with nothing?"_

_Her brother shrugged. "I'd never thought of that before."_

_"Can't we, can't we give them jobs as servants? Or something, so that they can support their families if they are not chosen?" Nefri pleaded, using her doe eyes on her brother. Ramses sighed, ruffling her hair. "I'll take care of it, Nefri." _

_She smiled happily at her brother, then detached herself from his leg. She walked over to the line of boys, most of them looking pitifully afraid. She stopped in front of one, the only one, that appeared her to be composed. _

_"What is your name, boy?" She demanded of the obviously much older boy. The boy raised his head, and looked her with piercingly black eyes. _

_"Imhotep, my princess."  
_

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_So. Like it? Hate it? Review please!  
_


	2. Chapter 2

Again, I don't own anything, also, I apologize in advance for any butchering of historical events that I am more than likely to do in this following chapter; I'm sorry to say that I really haven't done my research when it comes to Ramses II's military campaigns.

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_Pharaoh Seti I's Royal Court, Eight Years Later. Ramses's age: 19, Nefri's age: 13, Nefertiri's age: 15._

_

* * *

_

_"Come, Nefri! We will be late for the Festival of Osiris!" Nefertiri tugged at her younger sister's dress. She was clad in a white gown, threaded with golden designs as befitting her rank as princess. Nefri was dressed similarly, but around her neck was a heavy gold and amber necklace, a gift from their brother. _

_"I come," Nefri hastily grabbed her sandals and slipped them on, brushing away the servant who attempted to assist her. The sisters hurried out of the palace, assuming a dignified pace once they were within sight of the temple of Osiris, where Pharaoh and his retinue were. Both greeted their father with smiles and murmured, "Father,"s, and Nefertiri hurried to her position on the left of Seti's throne. Nefri, however, leaped into the waiting arms of Ramses, who was standing to the right of their father. The nineteen year old prince and heir to Upper and Lower Egypt squeezed his teenaged sister in a hug, shocking those in court who knew him as a ruthless military leader. Many had whispered about his obvious preference for his younger sister, wondering at his indifference to his other sister, Nefertiri. Rumors flew about his lack of a wife, despite his marriageable age and multitude of concubines, just like his father the Pharaoh. It was common knowledge that to succeed his father as Pharaoh, Ramses would have to marry one of his sisters. It was tradition that he marry the older sister, but Ramses clearly favored Nefri, the daughter of his father's favored concubine. _

_Then again, it was also rumored that the feared High Priest, Imhotep, held more than a brotherly affection for the young princess. It was clear that her preference for him amongst all the other suitable candidates for High Priest had had an effect on Aapep's choice. The former High Priest had respected the opinion of the precocious royal child, whose intelligence he had declared to be "gifted by the Gods." As such, Nefri, once she had turned 8, spent days with the new apprentice High Priest, learning about the temple itself and the Gods it honoured. Imhotep and Nefri had become fast friends, despite the difference in ages and Imhotep's standoffish behavior at first. Much to the chagrin of Ramses, who had grown used to his sister's undivided admiration, Nefri seemed to spend as much time at the temple as at the palace. _

_Both men were handsome, it was widely acknowledged. Both were tall, ranging within an inch of each other, and covered in muscle. Imhotep was completely bald, as was the requirement for priests, but he was darkly handsome and exuded an air of power that made many fall at his feet. His dark eyes gleamed with the knowledge of the gods and his voice carried the timbre of a royal. Ramses had short black hair and high cheekbones, completely aristocratic in appearance. A glance from him was enough to make any woman fall for him, or any man fear him. The light brown eyes that Nefri so loved were often cold and withdrawn in the presence of others. Both were deadly with the sword or in any type of battle. Neither, much to the disappointment of the court gossips, wore their heart on their sleeves. Both men were aloof and impassive; the rumors of their love interests could not gain rapport from their own acknowledgement. _

_The object of their supposed passion, Nefri, was deceptively open to court gossips. She laughed and gossiped like any other adolescent girl in court, but managed to shrewdly divert any inquiries or guesses at her own preference toward either man. Despite the rumors of her supposed paramours, Nefri still turned many admiring male heads whenever she was present. The daughter of Pharaoh was blessed with curves that any woman would kill for, even at her young age. She had inherited the "doe eyes" of her mother, and frequently used them to plead with her brother, who found he couldn't refuse her anything when she employed that look. She was still small for her age, only coming up to her brother's chest. Her straight black hair was arranged in the traditional style of royalty, with bluntly cut bangs.  
_

_Nefri tugged herself free of Ramses's grasp and went to stand beside Nefertiri, casting her a grin as she noticed Nefertiri eyeing a certain Med-Jai standing below the dais. They settled themselves, composing their faces into blank masks as the procession began, Imhotep at its head, walking in front of the huge statue of Osiris that was being borne by a group of slaves. The priests walking in the procession were chanting, throwing gold pieces to the people crowding at the sides of the great road that led to the temple.  
_

* * *

_That night, Nefri made her way soundlessly through the gilded halls of her father's court. She paused slightly in front of the door of her sister, Nefertiri, but judging by the sounds coming from inside, decided not to interrupt Nefertiri and her Med-Jai lover, Anuk. She crinkled her nose slightly as she passed her door, not being able to imagine her fifteen year old sister doing what she was currently doing with Anuk. She swiftly moved to the end of the hall, careful to avoid servants by sticking to the shadows. She was grateful for the flickering torches that graced each hallway, for the night was so dark and muggy she could barely see in front of herself. She gasped inaudibly as she noticed a shadow moving swiftly her direction from another hall. Quickly ducking behind a tapestry, she prayed that she had not been spotted out of her bed at night. It would raise unnecessary questions. _

_"I know you're there, Nefri." The amused voice of her brother startled her so badly she nearly tripped over the tapestry she was hiding behind. Glaring at him through the tapestry, she replied, "Well if you knew I was here, why'd you bother with the sneaking in the shadows?" She stepped out from behind the tapestry._

_"I hear the Hittites are encroaching upon our borders to the north." She said casually._

_Ramses nodded. "I leave tomorrow on military campaign to the borders. With the gods' grace, Egypt will once again triumph over any foreign attackers." _

_Nefri's catlike eyes narrowed slightly. "Were you planning on telling your favourite sister that you were going to leave. _Tomorrow?" She hissed.

_"My favourite sister? Oh, Nefertiri? She already knows!" Ramses joked. _

_Nefri snarled at her brother, slapping him on the arm. It was well known that the prince of the kingdom and the elder princess shared no affection for each other. He relented. "I _was_ going to tell you.. __" _

_"Really? When? As you were leaving?" She said sarcastically."Were you going to shout it back to me as you rode away in your chariot?"  
_

_"I couldn't bring myself to tell you today, you were so happy with the festival, and,-" _

_"I would have wanted to know, Ramses! How horrid do you think I feel now, knowing that you will very well get killed going against the Hittites? I know you are to be Pharaoh, but even pharaohs are not infallible! What were you thinking, brother? Tomorrow you will leave and I may well never see you again! If you had told me earlier, I would have at least had time to- to prepare!" _

_He opened his mouth to defend himself, getting angry, but she cut him off again. "I'm sorry, Ramses. I don't want to spend your last night arguing with you. Gods know when I'll see you again. I was angry that you hadn't told me something this important. I thought we were closer than that, Ramses!"_

_Ramses was slightly dumbfounded. Nefri had again, managed to quell his temper and mollify him, a feat no one else had been able to manage, not even himself. His baby sister threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug, squeezing him as if she hoped to prevent him from leaving. He patted her hair, not knowing what else to do, or say. This was his sister, his confidante, the little girl he'd spoiled that had grown up into a teenager right before his eyes. She was infuriating and addicting, tempestuous but never to him. What was he thinking? He couldn't leave her like this, knowing that he may never see her again. Even if he did, by the time he came back she would most likely be a woman by then, married off to some rich noble that was the highest bidder! His whole body tensed with anger at the thought of his sister being traded off like a piece of livestock. She would become nothing more than a shell of the girl he knew, empty and cold as compared to vibrant and alive as she was now.  
_

_"Nefri.." He started. "You will be of marriageable age soon." She pulled back in shock. He was about to leave and now here he was talking about her marriage? Even their father hadn't mentioned that yet._

_"Ramses, you promised! You said I wouldn't be forced into marriage." She protested._

_"I know, but when you turn fifteen, I will most likely not be here to enforce that promise!" He said, shaking his head. (_A/N, readers, I'm pretending that marriageable age in ancient Egypt is 15 summers, even though it probably isn't, but bear with me, yea?_) "Pharaoh will likely marry you off to a noble." _

_"I refuse! I will become a priestess if it comes to that." She glared. _

_Ramses heard the unspoken part of her sentence as clearly as if she'd said it. "And then Imhotep would protect me.." He stiffened in anger. He hissed, "What, for Imhotep? Am I nothing to you?" He shoved her away and stalked down the hall.  
_


	3. Chapter 3

Again, I don't own anything, also, I apologize in advance for any butchering of historical events that I am more than likely to do in this following chapter; I'm sorry to say that I really haven't done my research when it comes to Ramses II's military campaigns.

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_Pharaoh Seti I's Royal Court, Ramses's age: 19, Nefri's age: 13, Nefertiri's age: 15. (Same time frame as last chapter, continued.)_

This chapter is mostly Nefri POV, not first person. _  
_

_Nefri watched in disbelief as her brother stormed away from her. She racked her brain, trying to think of what she may have said to provoke him so. Abruptly, she shook her head. Why should she be searching for a reason that she was at fault? If he could not control his anger at some unknown irritant, it was not her problem that her brother, the crown prince had such a bad temper! Still.. perhaps it was a bad omen from the gods that her brother was going to leave the palace tomorrow having gone to sleep angry at her. Nefri resolved to speak to him tomorrow before he left. If he left still in a huff, it would not bode well. Her brother was not prone to making strategic maneuvers while incensed. She hissed her displeasure, repressing the urge to smash something. Her brother could be such an idiot sometimes! She turned and made her way back to her room, not bothering to check on Nefertiri and her lover. Suddenly, she stopped short, thinking hard. What was it her brother had said before he stalked off? 'What, for Imhotep?' Ramses had never approved of her friendship with the High Priest, but then again, he'd never outright condemned it either, choosing instead to use body language to express his disapproval. It was not obvious enough that the court gossips had taken note of it, but for a child that had grown up for eight years in Ramses's presence, Nefri was all too well versed in her brother's moods and expressions. There were times, however, when even her intuition on her brother failed her, such as this, when he acted completely out of character from what she knew of him. She muttered a curse under her breath. It wasn't proper language for a princess, but being around servants all the time had an effect on her. _

_"Stupid men! Not even a man! A boy!" She muttered to herself, throwing open the doors to her chambers. Not bothering to call her handmaiden, she quickly climbed into her bed, feeling that her thoughts were going in a bad direction, but she was unable to stop them. Why then, would her mentioning priestesses set him off so? He had mentioned Imhotep. Imhotep was the High Priest, _the _imira hemu-netjer_, the _sem-neteru _of _Wsir, __a trusted advisor of their father even at his young age of 20, a well respected man. He was kind to her, he was her friend. She could not understand the animosity between the two most important men in her life! By the gods, she was confused! Was Ramses assuming that she would become a priestess of Osiris? Why would that anger him? There was nothing bad in becoming one of the pure. She could not see anything Ramses could hold against a priestess. But what had he said after, 'What, for Imhotep?' There was something, she knew, but her mind remained frustratingly unhelpful! She could not remember. Nefri buried her face in her pillow, sighing. She frowned, deciding that she would not try to puzzle herself any further. She began drifting off to sleep._

* * *

"What, for IMHOTEP? -"

"No, I- "

"I am your brother!"

"Ramses, what are you-"

"You would become a priestess!"

"Why can I not?"

"Am I nothing to you? Nothing to you? Nothing to you? Nothing to you?-Nothing to you?"

_Nefri gasped as she jerked awake. She now remembered what she'd forgotten. Her brother's parting words to her rang in her head, ominous and shocking. _

_"How can he be nothing to me? He is my brother, and I love him! Of course he is something to me!" She mused. "He is simply being irrational." She nodded, satisfied with her answer. But another thought entered her mind. "Perhaps that is not what he is talking about..he knows I love him as a brother, perhaps that is not what he meant. But what else could he mean? ... Can it be possible, that he is jealous of Imhotep? But then if he was...if he is not looking for brotherly love? He knows I am uncommonly fond of Imhotep, but that is all there is! I do not love Imhotep, I could not love him, not when the gods whisper to me that he is destined for another. But Ramses does not know that.." _

_For the first time in a long while, Nefri began to think of the court gossips. She dared not comprehend that their silly chatter could have a grain of truth to them. But what if they did? Were Ramses and Imhotep truly rivals for her affections? The very idea struck Nefri as absurd. Ramses was prince to Upper and Lower Egypt, and no stranger to the affections between a man and a woman. She had heard the whisperings of servant girls whom her brother had lain with, of which there were many. Her only brother, her Ramses, who favored her above her stunning elder sister, Nefertiri, for reasons she did not know. The brother who had seen her cry and seen her laugh, who had seen her terror and her exaltation, her protector. Why would he single her out and even bother to compete with Imhotep, if that was what truly was going on? And Imhotep, hemu-netjer Imhotep, her wonderfully intense life-friend who she trusted with her very life? The same Imhotep who had been an accomplice in her many pranks on the now deceased High Priest Aapep, and who had, with his sly tongue, and her wit, managed to weasel them out of any punishment? _

_"How can I compare them so when the only thing I know for certain is that I cannot live without either of them?" Nefri asked herself. She sighed and jerked her head toward her balcony, for the first time noticing the first rays of light in the east. She rose and dressed, her handmaiden flitting about arranging the folds of her dress. Nefri looked at the brilliant necklace that she had worn yesterday at the festival of Osiris, debating whether or not to wear it. Did she want to confront Ramses while wearing one of gifts to her? Would it send the wrong message? _

_Nefri cast the necklace a last, despairing glance, and instead settled for a pair of gold armbands. As her maid fastened them on her arms, she prayed to whatever gods were listening to give her strength to confront her brother and perhaps hear what she did not want to hear. She swept her hair over her shoulders and strode out of her room, pausing slightly at the door to check for possible onlookers. Seeing none, Nefri continued soundlessly down the hall and out to the courtyard, where she knew her brother would be preparing his chariot. _

_He stood with his back to her, talking in a low voice to his horse and stroking it's mane slowly, as he was apt to do when simmering in anger. Nefri paused at the entrance to the courtyard, taking a moment to study her brother. He was bare-chested, only wearing the ceremonial skirt that many nobles wore, and had a sword hanging from his hip. He was tall, towering over her diminutive height easily. She also knew that his body was covered in muscle; Ramses was not a lazy prince. He sparred regularly with sons of lords and Med-Jai. His face was beautiful, there was no doubt. They shared the same high cheekbones, and perhaps the same nose. Nefri regularly obsessed over her brother's eyes, which she had declared time and time again to be astounding. _

_"How can I do this? I cannot do this! How can I confront him about something that I have suddenly become unsure of?" Nefri thought to herself. "I never had to worry about Ramses or Imhotep becoming overly fond of me. I had never even considered-" A pair of maids hurried by, jugs of water balanced on their heads. As they passed Nefri, one of them tripped, grabbing onto the other and bringing both of them to the ground. The jugs hit the floor and smashed, sending water everywhere. Nefri leaped out of the way of the splashing water, into the courtyard, successfully evading a cold water bath, but the noise had alerted Ramses to her presence. She straightened her body and slowly approached him, noting how tense his body was. _

_"Ramses." She said curtly. _

_"Nefri." He acknowledged._

_"When do you leave?" She inquired, hating how cool and formal they both sounded._

_"As soon as Ra rises completely." He sounded short, clipped. He was still angry at her. Nefri swallowed a bit, and moved closer. The sun was yet low in the sky, it was dark in the courtyard but for the light of the waning moon and stars. She still had time. She looked at her brother. There were dark circles under his eyes, as if he had not slept at all. _

_"Ramses, I do not know what to say. I cannot fathom why you would be angry at me. You know that you are my world, and I love you. I did not say I was going to become a priestess, I simply said that if it came to it, becoming a priestess was an option instead of marriage. But why would you be angry? I know you do not like Imhotep, but surely-"_

_"Nefri," he interrupted, "I am angry because I love you."_

_"If you love me," she cried, "cannot you be happy for me, that I have an escape from an arranged marriage? Father would not dare to take me from the gods. Imhotep would not allow it." _

_"That is exactly why I am angry! You will become a priestess, and you will be lost to me."_

_"How can that be? I will come and visit, especially after you are Pharaoh." Nefri knew she was treading on dangerous waters, she did not know what she would do if Ramses told her-  
_

_"No, Nefri. You don't understand. When I become Pharaoh, I must marry one of my sisters. I will not marry Nefertiri, the cow." Ramses's face was like stone. Nefri froze, her breathing shallow and rapid. Ramses wanted to marry her? Surely he did not mean that he was "in love" with her when he said, "I love you"? _

_"Ramses.." Nefri started, at a loss for words. "Ramses, I don't..I...how? Tradition states that you must-"_

_"Nefri, Nefri, when I am Pharaoh, do you really think I shall care for such tradition that is not even a real tradition, simply a guideline?"_

_"But I do not want to be queen." Nefri said, silently. "I am not ready." _

_"Father has some years left to him yet, I would not leave if I did not think so. I am not ready to become Pharaoh, either. You will learn, as will I. Please, Nefri, I want to marry you. Do not become a priestess."_

_"I may not have a choice..if Father-" _

_"Father would not dare arrange a marriage for you, Nefri, not when he knows that I favor you. No nobleman in his right mind would dare to cross me, even if I am not here." _

_Nefri sucked in a deep breath. She stepped closer to her brother, until they were nearly touching. She looked up into his eyes. "Brother, are you still angry at me?"_

_"Not very," he smiled to indicate his eased temper. _

_Nefri cast a critical eye at him, and raised an eyebrow. "You're lying, brother. You're still angry at me. But how can you be, when I did not know?" _

_Ramses shrugged his shoulders and turned his head to the side in a noncommittal gesture. Nefri placed a hand on his chest. "Please don't leave angry, Ramses." _

_His head turned back around and he looked down at her hand on his chest. Nefri continued, "I suppose I should be glad, if you truly are so intent on marrying me, then you will take especial care of yourself while you are gone? You will come back to me, because I cannot marry a mummy." _

_Ramses's breath caught in his chest. "You accept?"_

_Nefri smiled, her hand unknowingly slipping further and further down his chest. "I was not aware that you were asking, dear brother, I thought it was just you telling me what was going to happen." _

_"Well-"_

_"Are you still angry? You are tense." Nefri asked, completely confused as to how her brother could still be angry with her. _

_He laughed, and caught her hand before it slipped down into dangerous areas. "I am not angry, love, far from it." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, eyes dancing with some joke that she did not comprehend, until she looked down and saw where her hand had almost gone. _

_Nefri blushed bright red and almost leaped away from her brother, embarrassed beyond belief. _

_"Ah, Ramses! Oh, hello, daughter." Seti I strode into the courtyard, followed by a retinue of concubines, servants and Med-Jai. He stopped short at the sight of his son and daughter together in the courtyard. He had not expected to see Nefri here, what with Ramses being so adamant on her not knowing until the very last moments.  
_

_"Father," Ramses and Nefri said together. Seti frowned slightly as he noticed their joined hands, but made no comment. At that moment, Nefertiri entered the courtyard, seeming surprised at the crowd that had gathered. _

_"Nefertiri!" Nefri cried, and ran to hug her eldest sister. Nefertiri hugged her young sister, looking over her head at her father and her brother. She raised an eyebrow at her brother, who answered her with a sneer and turned back to his horse. Nefri pulled back slightly, whispering in her sister's ear, "We have to talk, later! I must tell you something." Nefertiri nodded, still somewhat baffled. _

_Nefri grinned at her sister and pulled her to where Seti and Ramses were conversing in low tones. Ramses was in the middle of a heated, hissed monologue, complete with vehement hand gestures to exacerbate his point. As Nefri drew their sister closer to them, Seti responded with a raised eyebrow and a challenging glance. Ramses uttered a low growl at his father, and whispered something that made his father pale, and nod quickly. Nefri paid no heed to their conversation, and went right up to her brother, who wrapped an arm around her as she snuggled into his side. Nefertiri cast a questioning gaze at her father, who avoided her eyes and instead cleared his throat. _

_"I suppose congratulations are in order?" He said hastily._

_

* * *

_

_"Come back to me in one piece." Nefri whispered to her brother as he stepped into his chariot. He looked down at her with a fond smile, and ruffled her hair. "I will, do not worry about me." _

_Nefri scoffed. _"_Telling me not to worry is about as effective as telling father to stop taking concubines." On an impulse, she stepped onto his chariot and put her hands on her brother's face, turning it towards her. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, playfully ignoring his disappointed look. He'd been hoping for an actual kiss, but she'd turned her head at the last second. _

_"Don't pout," she laughed. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, breathing in her scent for a long while. Nefri drew away slowly, eyes suspiciously bright and lip trembling. Ramses lifted a hand and put a finger on her lips. _

_"Don't miss me too much," he whispered to her. She nodded, holding back tears. "Be good, keep busy and time will fly by, and make sure to mind Father." He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her mouth, drawing away slowly as Nefri's eyes fluttered closed and tears slipped from her closed lids. He wiped them away with a thumb, and with a last kiss to the top of her head, gently lifted her off his chariot. Nefri gulped a little, and pressed something into his hand.  
_

_Seti approached his only son. "Be safe, and crush the Hittites. Take as long as you need, but remember that Egypt needs you alive, not dead. Do not do anything rash." Ramses clasped his father's arm in a warrior's embrace. As they parted, Nefertiri approached the chariot. _

_"Brother, do not hurt Nefri. Come back alive." She said, a satirical grin twisting her mouth. Ramses did not look at her, but nodded. Nefertiri backed away from the chariot as Ramses lifted the reins. With a last glance back at Nefri, he snapped the reins and he was gone._


	4. Chapter 4

_Pharaoh Seti I's Royal Court, One Year into the First Campaign. Ramses's age: 20, Nefri's age: 14, Nefertiri's age: 16._

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Nefri sighed to herself as she sat on Nefertiri's bed. Things just weren't the same without Ramses. She missed him, so much that her chest ached without him. She knew he was well, if the steady stream of treasures and slaves trickling into Thebes from his conquests were any indication. The slaves spoke of her brother as a lethal war general. They feared his might, his ruthlessness on the battlefield, and his keen mind. She could take pride in the fact that the prince of the kingdom was well respected and feared among his subjects. But while Ramses was away waging war, she and Nefertiri had grown closer, if possible. The older girl had helped Nefri as she grew into a young woman. They were often found laughing together as they spoke of girlish matters. Nefertiri and Nefri were nearly inseparable, except for when Imhotep was around. Imhotep was very busy with his duties as High Priest; with a war raging in the north, the temples were full of worried wives of soldiers who prayed daily for their husband's safety in battle. Sacrifices were made on a regular basis to the gods, hoping to appease them and insure the safety of Egypt for centuries to come. But every day, Imhotep came by the palace to check on Nefri, who had taken the absence of her brother harder than anyone else. _

_Imhotep and Nefri were still the same as ever, close friends and confidantes. They spoke of the gods, the harvest, the war, mocked the servants, and whatever else came to mind. Although Imhotep may not have outright admitted it, he treasured his friendship with the young princess. He was often so busy that he just wanted to sit down somewhere and scream. Nefri was like a soothing balm upon a sunburn; he had to see her every day. He admired her sharp mind, a feature rarely found in most of the girls that he talked to. Servant girls were either too frightened or too in awe of him to speak coherently. Her sister, Nefertiri, was too obsessed with herself and her lover to think about anything important. He feared Nefri was in danger of becoming the same, with all the time she spent around her sister, but what he did not know was, his time with her was keeping her from becoming too much like her sister. Nefertiri's lack of intelligent companionship had turned her into a vain girl, well meaning but vain nevertheless. Nefri was a delicate blend of intelligence, wit and womanly charm. Many men of the court found themselves infatuated with the young princess, but feared the wrath of the Pharaoh and crown prince if they made a move beyond friendship. It was well known by now that the prince, the great conquerer Ramses, was in love with his younger sister._

_Many eyes in the court looked toward the elder princess to see her reaction, at being cheated out of her "rightful role" as the future queen of the kingdom. Much to their chagrin, Nefertiri was not only happy for her siblings, she was greatly relieved at not having to leave her Med-Jai lover. Defeated, court gossips turned to the High Priest. Old rumors of a love triangle were renewed, only to be quashed by four very irate people. Seti I, Nefertiri, and Imhotep and Nefri themselves. The old Pharaoh had dismissed several maids that he had found whispering about his daughter. Nefertiri and Nefri had lost their tempers with the empty headed gossips and had put their skills with the sai to good use. Imhotep had simply looked at a pair he had found gossiping, and told them that they were no longer welcome in the temples. This struck fear in the hearts of all the palace servants. To be refused at a temple was equivalent to being denied a chance at an afterlife. _

_So a year rolled around, and still Ramses was not back. The Pharaoh and High Priest were not worried. They knew war affairs often took a while to settle. Nefertiri, while slightly worried at her brother's long absence, shrugged off her worries easily. Nefri was not so easily consoled. She was anxious, and her family sought to keep her distracted from her worries, lest she succumb to her sadness. It was at this time that a new load of slaves from the north came in._

_

* * *

_

_"Name?" Seti I lounged on his throne, already bored. The slave girl in front of him hardly dared raise her head. She squeaked out some indecipherable name, and Seti sighed. With an imperious wave of his hand, two Med-Jai escorted the terrified girl with the rest of the girls that had failed to please Pharaoh. _

_"Next!" He called. Another girl stepped forward and bowed to the old Pharaoh. Her posture was stiff, almost defensive. Seti sat up abruptly. This was a welcome change. The girl was very beautiful. A good addition to his harem, he thought. _

_"Name?" _

_"Anck-su-Namun, my lord." The last two words were nearly spat out, but the Pharaoh was too caught up in her beauty to notice. His daughters, however, sitting on a dais nearby, had both noticed the inflection of the slave girl's tone. Nefri and Nefertiri exchanged glances, silently agreeing to keep an eye on this future concubine. Nefri tilted her head slightly, catching the eye of the High Priest from where he was standing next to Pharaoh. She silently raised an eyebrow at Imhotep, to which he lifted one shoulder in a barely perceptible shrug. She gave him a minuscule nod. _

_Meanwhile, Pharaoh had gotten up from his throne and was now circling the scantily clad Anck-su-Namun. She was tense, shoulders stiff and shaking. Seti nodded in approval, and called the master of his harem. Merasankh was not an old woman, but she had been preparing the girls of the harem for years. She led the girl away. _

_"There's something wrong with that girl." Nefertiri hissed to her sister. Nefri nodded without turning. Her eyes locked on Imhotep's. _

_"Who is she?" Nefri asked silently.  
_

_"Some girl captured in a raid. Merchant's daughter." Imhotep had stepped closer to the throne, toward the dais. His hissed answer had gone unnoticed by Pharaoh and Nefertiri, both of whom had focused on the next girl.  
_

_"Why is she like that?"  
_

_"Perhaps she believes herself superior."_

_"To Pharaoh?" Nefri wanted to laugh. Even if an imp of a girl believed herself better than Pharaoh, acting haughty like she had would get her killed someday. _

_Imhotep shrugged again, and resumed his post beside the throne as Seti waved off the rest of the girls._

_"My daughters," Seti beckoned. Nefri and Nefertiri quickly rose. "What do you think of this set's treasures?" _

_Nefertiri and Nefri exchanged glances. Nefri spoke up, "The treasures are gorgeous, Father, especially the silver pieces."_

_"I, myself, prefer that lapis neckpiece." Nefertiri offered. _

_"Then they are yours, daughters," Seti smiled at his children. "But what did you think of Anck-su-Namun?"_

_Both princesses stiffened and quickly thought of an answer to appease their father. "She is very pretty, but she seems a bit..a bit standoffish. Perhaps she is frightened." _

_"I intend to take her as a concubine. What do you think of that?" Seti questioned. _

_"Do with her as you wish, Father," Nefri said. Nefertiri added, "She is but a stranger to us." _

_Seti nodded. "You miss Ramses, don't you, Nefri?" He was old, but he was not blind to his youngest child's sadness. Nefri nodded sadly. "He will be back soon, do not worry. He is strong, he will be fine."_

_Nefri smiled a little, "I know."  
_


	5. Chapter 5

_Pharaoh Seti I's Royal Court, Year Three of Ramses's First Campaign. Ramses's age: 22, Nefri's age: 16, Nefertiri's age: 18_

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_

_It had been three agonizingly long years since she had last seen her brother, Prince Regent Ramses. Far too long, for a sixteen year old princess, to be parted from her protector. From the whispers of palace guards and common folk, she had learned that Ramses was on the brink of victory. She'd hoped for this day for three years. It meant that soon, soon, her brother would come home to her. Not soon enough, for an impatient girl. _

_Nefri had blossomed into a lovely young woman. However, she'd only grown a few inches, and had accepted that she'd be shorter than her siblings. She and her sister Nefertiri were in the prime of their lives, and living life in the lap of luxury. Their father, Seti I, was one of the richest men in the ancient world, and spoiled them both terribly. Nefri, however, tended to value her father's attention more than his gold. However, the aging Pharaoh barely had any time for his daughters lately, what with his son off in the north battling an invasion, and a rebellion in a nearby village. Seti I and Imhotep were often sequestered in a room discussing tactics and options. But at night, Seti I often threw lavish parties for nobles and visiting foreign dignitaries, which required his daughters and all of his concubines and wives to dress up to impress. _

_Anck-su-Namun had rapidly risen in ranks and had fast become the Pharaoh's favorite concubine, much to Nefertiri's amusement and Anck-su-Namun's displeasure. It was clear that the concubine loathed her father, in fact, it was so apparent that most of the court knew it except no one dared to tell Pharaoh, who was convinced that she could do no wrong. Nefri was indifferent to it all, sinking slowly into depression. Anck-su-Namun, four years older than the young princess, saw something in Nefri that she identified within herself, and was kind to her. The young princess was wary of the concubine at first, but realized that, like herself, Anck-su-Namun was lonely. The other concubines were jealous of the beautiful twenty year old, just as many of the daughters of lords and nobles were jealous of the young princess. Nefertiri and Imhotep, her closest friends, were often busy now, so Nefri and Anck clung to each other as if they needed each other for survival. Nefri would often drag Anck to the marketplace of Thebes, where they would browse the goods that had been shipped in, debate over purchasing fabrics, and ogle pretty boys that they saw. Neither would make a move toward any boys that they saw, however, because Anck belonged to Pharaoh and Nefri was well known as the future queen. _

_It was on one of these trips that Nefri decided to visit the Temple of Osiris to speak to Imhotep. She and Anck darted about in the crowd, trying to lose their Med-Jai guards so that they could slip away to the temple. With a series of gestures, Anck told Nefri to hide behind a fruit stall, while Anck ducked behind a horse-cart. Both quietly giggled as the Med-Jai stalked past, hands on their swords, completely oblivious that their targets were a few feet away. As soon as they were out of range, Anck and Nefri slipped past into the cool stone temple. The temple was easily the largest building within a great distance. Not even Pharaoh dared build his palace bigger than the home of a god. Anck stared in wonder at the status and carvings lining the walls. Nefri explained the story behind each one as she pulled Anck along the cool corridor toward the High Priest's chambers. Having spent a great deal of time in the temple growing up, Nefri knew all the stories of the gods by heart. But Anck had grown up in a small village, even her merchant father had not thought to educate her thusly. _

_"Princess?" An incredulous voice made Nefri spin around. A gold-painted priest was standing behind them, addressing Nefri but looking Anck up and down as he spoke. Nefri saw that Anck was uncomfortable with the blatant scrutiny, and hissed angrily at the priest._

_"Priest. Where is the hemu net-jer?" Nefri demanded, shielding Anck with her body. It didn't do much to block the taller concubine, but Anck was touched at the gesture. _

_"Right here." Imhotep had quietly approached the scene without anyone noticing. He stood behind Anck, who hurried to bow and murmur her respects to the High Priest. He waved off the formalities impatiently, barely sparing the older girl a glance. His attention was on Nefri, who was glaring at the now frightened priest. Imhotep furrowed his brows as he motioned for Nefri to follow him. With a last glare, she followed the tall man into his offices. As the door closed behind Anck-su-Namun, Nefri launched into an angry tirade, most of which was so quickly spat out that Imhotep could barely follow. _

_"Who was that priest?" She demanded. Imhotep shrugged. "A new addition, from a village south of here."_

_"I do not like the way that he was looking at me." Anck spoke up, eyes blazing. Imhotep glanced at her, but made no response._

_"He was eying her like a piece of meat! What kind of pig is he?" Nefri raged. Imhotep raised an eyebrow. _

_"You are a concubine of Pharaoh, correct?" He addressed Anck. She nodded, spine stiffening. It had been a while since Seti had called for her, and for a while, she had almost forgotten that she was nothing but a concubine for Pharaoh. Nefri had treated her with kindness, not like a simple whore of her father, unlike Nefertiri. Imhotep narrowed his eyes in slight annoyance. This was just the excuse he needed to get rid of the troublesome new priest. In the week that he had been in the temple, the man had managed to damage the sacrificial altar and botch an offering to the gods. Now with this transgression, Pharaoh would definitely not bat an eyelash if he were to dismiss this priest. In fact, Pharaoh was likely to want the man killed. _

_"Nefri," Imhotep said quietly. She looked at him from where she was seated on a chaise. "Do you want this man dismissed, or killed?"_

_"I think you should ask Anck. After all, it was she who that pig was eye-raping." _

_"I want him gone." Anck said firmly. "I do not want to worry about running into that pig whenever I come to worship the gods. I want him dead." _

_"Then I will accompany you back to the palace and explain the situation, and ask permission of Pharaoh to execute him." Imhotep decided, fingering his High Priest amulet. _

_"Good. But first, I have not spoken with you in a long time. How have you been?" Nefri said pleasantly. Imhotep blinked at her for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed till tears ran from his eyes. Anck too, began to grin at Nefri as she caught on._

_"What?"_

_"Oh, Princess, only you could go from wanting one of my priests dead one moment then asking me how I've been the next as if nothing had happened." Imhotep was still grinning widely, wiping tears of mirth off his face._

_

* * *

_

_That night, Imhotep went with Nefri and Anck back to the palace. Seti was surprised to see his closest advisor accompanying his daughter and concubine. _

_"Imhotep?" he asked. _

_"My lord," he bowed. "The princess came to visit me today, and we noticed that one of my priests was inappropriately looking at your concubine, Anck-su-Namun. I have placed this priest in a cell for now, awaiting your decision." _

_As expected, Pharaoh was furious. "Bring him here! I will have him executed before the entire city, so they may know what happens when someone disobeys me!" He waved at three Med-Jai, who bowed and hurried toward the temple. Within minutes, they had returned, dragging a fearful priest, who was kicking and screaming. Nefri buried her head in Nefertiri's shoulder as their father condemned the man to death. She didn't raise her head as Anuk raised his sword and slashed it across the priest's neck, cleanly taking his head off. She shuddered, unused to the screams of death._

_"Take him away, but do not perform the rites." Seti commanded. At that moment, a dusty servant ran into the hall. "My lord!" He gasped, falling to his knees and touching his head to the cool floor. All members of the royal court grimaced slightly in disgust as the man barely managed to evade the growing pool of blood on the floor. Seti sighed. "Yes? Rise. What is it?" _

_"My lord," the man panted. "I come from the north!" At this, Nefri leaped from Nefertiri's embrace and stepped over to the dirty man. _

_"Well? What news is there?" She demanded. The man raised his head a little, "Prince Regent Ramses has triumphed over the Hittites!" At this, all members of the court erupted in cheers. Nefri let out a shaky, relieved laugh. Her brother was alive and well, it seemed. "How long ago was this?" She inquired. _

_"Five days ago, my lady." _

_Nefri frowned a little. A good messenger took three days at most for the distance from the north to Thebes. What happened to those two days extra? It took a few days to mobilize an army to march home, if that was what Ramses was doing. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice that the entire court had gone silent. She raised her head in confusion, then gasped, as she, along with the rest of the court, heard the thundering of many horses in the distances._

_"Ramses," she breathed.  
_


	6. Chapter 6

_Pharaoh Seti I's Royal Court, Year Three of Ramses's First Campaign. Ramses's age: 22, Nefri's age: 16, Nefertiri's age: 18_

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_Previously on Love Beyond the Afterlife:

_"Ramses," she breathed._

_

* * *

_

_Nefri froze for a moment, listening with her head cocked to the side. The horses were approaching the royal palace, coming from the lower portions of the city, from the north. She fingered the tiny friendship ring that she and Anck had exchanged. Smiling slightly, she looked at Nefertiri, who was smiling widely at her young sister. It was fairly obvious to the court that the youngest Princess's depression over the past three years was now over. She then looked at her father, who nodded at his daughter, hiding a smile. Her gaze drifted to Imhotep, who was looking straight at her, dark eyes unfathomable. She silently pleaded with him to give his approval, for she felt she could not leave to greet her brother, knowing that it would begin another stage in her life, without her life-friend's approval. Imhotep tilted his head to the side, regarding her solemnly. Then slowly, a little hint of a smile broke through his mask. Nefri smiled widely, recognizing the look in his eyes. _

_"Be happy," his eyes said. _

_Nefri could feel her eyes tearing up a little, but she forcefully blinked back the tears as she nodded at the High Priest. She noticed Anck standing quite close to the imposing High Priest, and fought back another smile. She could already see a relationship forming. Anck looked at her friend, not quite understanding the importance of the situation, as she had never met the prince, only heard rumors of his prowess and regal bearing. Nefri had never spoken of him, being too saddened to mention him in conversations with the concubine. _

_Nefri could feel the eyes of the entire court as she rotated on the spot, eyes seeking the entrance of the palace as the horses drew close to the buildings. She heard the fumbling of servants as someone dismounted a horse. With trembling legs, Nefri ran out of the hall and dodged servants as she broke into the courtyard, immediately spotting her brother amidst his war generals. The men spotted her before Ramses did, respectfully clearing a path for the princess. Nefri, however, was frozen at the entrance of the courtyard, breathing shallowly as she looked upon her brother. He was still unaware of her presence, back turned toward her as he patted his weary horse. Nefri gasped quietly as she noticed a jagged scar marring the bronze skin of his exposed back. The little gasp was enough to alert Ramses of her presence. His head turned slightly, his body tensing. Nefri took a small step forward, apprehensive. Her brother dropped the reins of his horse and turned around fully, locking his eyes with Nefri's. She let out a sob and ran forward into his waiting arms. Ramses picked her up and swung her around as his generals cheered and catcalled. Nefri buried her face in his bare shoulder, locking her arms around his warm torso. _

_"Hi," she whispered against his chest. Ramses's chest rumbled as he laughed. _

_"Hi," he whispered. He unwrapped her arms from his stomach, and cupped her face in his hands. Nefri wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed her._

_It was sweet and languorous, three years' worth of kissing, Nefri's hands sliding to Ramses's bare back and tracing the jagged scar, Ramses's hands sliding down to grip her hips. With a groan, Ramses pulled Nefri completely against him, pressing their bodies together as he ran his tongue on Nefri's bottom lip. She gasped, and he took advantage of the moment and slid his tongue into her mouth, tangling with her tongue. _

_An awkward cough broke them apart, breathing heavily. Seti I stood in the entrance to the courtyard, trying and failing to look imposing, because of the wide grin that was nearly splitting his face in half. Nefri squeaked, ducking behind her brother as she quickly ran her hands through her hair, trying to get rid of the messy look that it had attained. _

_"Hello, father." Ramses smirked, as if his father hadn't just caught him in the act of thoroughly kissing his baby sister. _

_"Son," Seti I said, still smiling. "How was your..trip?"_

_Ramses waved a hand dismissively. "Don't remember much of it, except that I was hurrying back." He wrapped an arm around Nefri, who had peeked around his side, still flushed. _

_Seti's smile grew. "And the Hittites?"_

_"Crushed."_

_"Good. You are dismissed, you may go rest now." Seti turned on his heel, going back to the throne room. As Nefri stepped out from behind Ramses, he turned and said, "Oh, and don't make me a grandfather yet!"_

_Nefri gasped as Ramses jokingly grumbled to himself. He picked up the reins for his horse, waving away his generals with a, "Go home to your wives, wash up, I know you all reek of dust and gore." As his generals departed, some throwing winks at the Prince Regent, Ramses lifted Nefri onto his horse and led the tired war-horse to the stables, where he proceeded to tie the horse up as Nefri dismounted. Beckoning a servant to bring him a bucket of water, he began to unsaddle his horse himself. Nefri stroked the hair away from the horse's drooping neck, cooing soft words to the brown horse. The horse snuffled her neck affectionately as Ramses began to pat the horse down with a cloth. Nefri eyed the bucket with a mischievous grin, an idea popping into her head. She looked around furtively. No one was around to see what she was about to do. Ramses was standing right next to the bucket, a perfect position for Nefri's scheme._

_"Ramses," Nefri said in a low, sultry voice. He looked up, eyes darkening as she approached him, hips swaying. She pushed him against the wall of the stables, pressing her body against his. Ramses threw his head back and moaned, dropping the cloth into the hay. She trailed kisses up his chest, till she reached his neck. Nefri lifted her head slightly to look at Ramses, smirking slightly before she bit down on the juncture of his neck and shoulder, hard. Ramses gasped, bucking against her as she licked the bite, soothing the hurt. Her hands slid from his shoulders down his chest, nails slightly dragging as Ramses shivered and moaned helplessly. _

_With a speed that she didn't know he possessed, Ramses reversed their positions so that it was Nefri pressed against the stable wall. She pouted, being too far away from the bucket now to carry out her scheme. But as Ramses kissed her again, the prank was the farthest thing on her mind as she gasped, wrapping her legs around his narrow hips. She linked her arms behind Ramses's head, pressing him closer as she squirmed into a more comfortable position against the wall. Ramses groaned as she shifted, hitching her robes up till they were around her thighs. Nefri sighed as Ramses licked a trail down her neck, arching her back and rocking against him._

_"Nefri," Ramses growled. "I want you."_


	7. Chapter 7

_Thank you to Alexa, who gave me the inspiration for this chapter!_

_Also, thank you to my reviewers, you guys really made me happy with your reviews!_

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_What did Ramses go through in those three years he was gone? Where did his scar come from? How did he defeat the Hittites? (My chapter is very likely to be historically inaccurate, sorry.) What was he thinking while he was away from Nefri?_

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_Ramses POV (kinda)_

_Riding away from Nefri was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I've had to do many hard things, including pacifying an enraged Pharaoh, and convincing said Pharaoh to let me marry his youngest daughter. The look on her face was unbearable, I was of half a mind to turn around and forget the Hittites, they could all fall off a cliff for all I cared at that moment. But I knew I couldn't, if they were not conquered, before long they would be storming the palace in Thebes, and Nefri would be in danger. By the gods, I swore that I'd crush the damn Hittites, even if it took me years, just so Nefri would be safe. _

_Nefri, Nefri, Nefri. She was my youngest sister, my treasure. I knew she was mine from the moment I saw her, tiny in our father's lap. I'd watched her grow up from a sunshiny child into a beautiful teenager, almost a woman. I'd chased off multiple suitors: sons of noblemen, noblemen, Med-Jai, even palace servants. Nefri really had no idea how many admirers I'd threatened behind her back. No one was good enough for the daughter of Pharaoh, daughter of a demi-god of the sun. I'd glare at anyone who dared to put their dirty gazes on her. _

_I didn't realize that I loved her, really loved my sister in an un-sibling way, until the day she came home from the temple of Osiris where she'd been at lessons all day with Aapep, and all she could talk about was Imhotep. I already knew that I preferred her over her older sister Nefertiri, not surprising, because Nefertiri was too vain for my tastes, but I didn't expect the white-hot surge of fury as she rambled on and on about Imhotep, I didn't expect the all-consuming jealousy that she'd come home to me and all she could talk about was him, after she'd spent entire weeks, months, in his company for most of the day, that in our precious little time together, she was talking about him while with me! At that moment, I realized that the court gossips were right. I loved my sister, loved her in a way that a brother was not supposed to love a sister, and I could do nothing about it. She was young, so young, precious in her naivety, and I couldn't corrupt that. For her sake, I had to hide it, hide my growing resentment of Imhotep, hide my affection for a girl six years my junior, hide the fact that every time she smiled at a man that wasn't me, it felt like my heart had dropped to the pit of my stomach. I masked the fact that every time she smiled at me, my heart beat like a drum and all I wanted to do was to snatch her away and selfishly keep her for my own. _

_My mind screamed at me, this was wrong, she is your sister! But my heart rebelled, telling me that it was not wrong to love her as I did. It was torture, being so close to her every day but not being able to say a word about how I felt about her. It was agonizing, but I couldn't stay away. My concubines were terrified of me. I'd spend nights burying myself between their legs, but it was Nefri's face I saw burned behind my closed eyes, and it was Nefri's name I called out in the heat of the moment. I was slowly, slowly, going crazy._

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_

_Damn Hittites. Marching an army across a vast expanse of desert, choking on sand and dust and sweating under a bright sun was not my idea of spending my time. They'd wedged themselves against the tiny peninsula, a mountain range that would have been a suicide range for my soldiers to march through. I called orders to make camp near an oasis, an easily defensible position. Gathering my generals around a map of the region, I began to strategize. _

_"If we attack here, their archers would decimate us." _

_"We take them by surprise, their fortress is supported by sheer number."_

_"No, what about their swordsmen?"_

_"What if we light their fortress on fire?"_

_"We cannot approach their fortress without detection."_

_"They are trapped like rats against the mountains!"_

_"No, they are not stupid. They likely have an escape route mapped out. See this valley?"_

_"They are on our land, they cannot know it better than us!"_

_"They have had a long while to explore, it's likely they know the mountains well."_

_"But look at this mountain. If we can drive them to this mountain, we would be able to.."_

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_My generals were lesser princes, cousins of mine, who had the simple misfortune of being born to the wrong sibling. If they had only been born to a older brother, or the eldest sister, they would have had my place as Prince Regent and heir to Upper and Lower Egypt. But as it was, they hadn't been born as such, so they became my advisors, a fitting position for the nephews of Pharaoh. My soldiers, some 20 thousand, outnumbered the Hittites by a few thousand, not as decisively as I had hoped. I would wait for the Hittites to attack, patiently, and then surround them and take them by surprise. I was prepared to wait for as long as it took, because if they attacked, I would have the advantage of a surprise counterattack. I posted scouts all along the no-man's land separating the Hittites and my forces, so that I would be warned. Like a crocodile in the Nile, I would wait for the right moment to strike, just when they were in my grasp. _

_That day came, after some two years of waiting, training, and wondering what was happening back at home._

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_

_"My lord! My lord!" A dusty scout ran into my command tent, where I was ranting my displeasure at the long wait to my closest general, Nestor. _

_"Yes? What is it?"_

_"The Hittites! They are marching!"_

_Within a moment, I felt a fierce rush of something, that filled me with energy. A fierce joy, battle-lust, something in me howled for blood. My long wait was over. I would crush them, send them back to wherever they came from and completely conquer them. Turning to Nestor, I ordered him, "Make ready the troops!"  
_

_Silently, quickly, almost imperceptibly, the cry went out, "Hittites!"_

_We left the fires going, the tents shadowed, to give the appearance of an army still unaware, slumbering obliviously. But in reality, every man in the camp was ready, tense, in positions that we had devised months back for this very event. _

_The Hittites plowed right into the west side of our camp, the nearest side. I looked at Nestor, in disbelief. Were they really so obvious? Did they think we would not notice a direct, frontal attack? Perhaps two years of inactivity had lulled them into a false sense of security. All the better for us. I looked down for a brief moment, touching the tiny pouch containing a lock of Nefri's hair, the very same object that she had pressed into my hand before I left. _

_"For Nefri," my mind whispered as I gave the signal to my men to attack.  
_

_

* * *

_

_The fight was exhilarating. I was covered in blood, blood of my enemies as I cut down surprised Hittites left and right. My army was routing the attackers, using training tactics that we had honed while lying in wait. I slashed and blocked, having long since abandoned my shield as my arms grew weary. _

_A sudden, agonizing pain spread from my back. Whirling around, I saw a pair of Hittites, sneak up on me from behind. My chances did not look good. I was already fighting with three Hittites in front of me. Five to one was not something I wanted to attempt. I growled slightly as the pain in my back grew, along with my fury. With a battle cry, I thrust my sword into the belly of one, ducked the swing of another which ended up decapitating his comrade, and kicked another in the chest, wrenching my sword out of the first man's stomach. I rolled as another came at me, battle-ax raised, and swept his legs out, scrambling to my feet, narrowly avoiding his falling body. With a quick stab, four were down, three dead of those four. With a series of quick swipes and dodges, I disarmed the last one, plunging my sword into his chest. _

_Panting heavily, I looked around. Broken swords, slashed tents and smoldering fires were everywhere, but we had won. The battle was over, surviving Hittites being quickly disposed of. I staggered slightly as my energy dwindled. Nestor approached me hurriedly, bloody and sweaty as I was._

_"My lord, your back!" _

_I shook my head, barking an order. "Nestor, you are in charge of leading an attack on their lands tomorrow! They will be scattered and confused, we will ambush and conquer!"_

_I staggered as a blinding pain lanced through my back, falling to my knees as my world went black._

_

* * *

_

_"My lord? My lord? You, healer, come here! I think he is waking!" _

_My world was spinning, dizzy, a myriad of colors. I shook my head, clearing it. "Nestor?"_

_I rolled over, half expecting another agonizing pain to rip through my back. None came. "Nestor," I repeated. "How long have I been out?"_

_"A-a month, sire." _

_"A month?" _

_"Your back has healed, my lord, and the Hittites have been crushed. They are to pay tribute." _

_"Good," I stood. "Then prepare my chariot, we will return to Thebes as soon as I see to the Hittite royals." _


	8. Chapter 8

Back in Thebes:

_Pharaoh Seti I's Royal Court, End of Ramses's First Campaign. Ramses's age: 22, Nefri's age: 16, Nefertiri's age: 18_

Previously:

_"Nefri," Ramses growled. "I want you."_

_

* * *

_

_Nefri pressed her body into her brother's, grinding slowly as he growled low. _

_"We can't, Ramses." She sighed. "We're not married." _

_"We will be," he said lowly. _

_"But we're not yet, we can't, I can't. It's not proper." She argued. _

_"Nefri, please," he moaned. _

_"Ramses.." she gasped as he lowered his head to her sensitive neck. _

_"Ramses, Ramses, no, don't." She whispered, laying her hands on his chest and pushing gently. He stepped back, keeping his arms around her. She looked at him, eyes pleading, but he averted his eyes, looking at the horse. Nefri sighed, and ducked under his arms, hurrying out of the stables.  
_

_

* * *

_

_"You just left him?" Nefertiri gasped, a hand over her mouth and mirth dancing in her eyes. Nefri nodded, shame-faced but resolute. Nefertiri began to laugh, silently, and even her Med-Jai Anuk, normally stone faced, cracked a grin, shaking his head._

_"Oh shut up," Nefri snapped good-naturedly. "You too, Anuk," She mock-glared._

_"I feel bad for the Prince Regent." Anuk snorted. Nefri rolled her eyes. "He'll survive."_

_Anuk was one of the few Med-Jai who was allowed to talk openly with the princesses in private. As Nefertiri's lover, he had also earned the friendship of the younger princess, who found his brash manner amusing. _

_"Yes, he'll survive all right," Nefertiri chuckled. "He'll go to his concubines." _

_Nefri's eyes narrowed. Anck-su-Namun was the only concubine that she liked, the only one that didn't simper for the royal men's attention. Many of the concubines were mindless, petty and jealous, each believing that their own worth was equal to the amount of attention they received from either Ramses or Pharaoh. _

_"Arghhhh." She hissed. "I will not share Ramses with a horde of whores." _

_"You know how it is, Nefri, they believe that the more concubines they have, the better, Father especially." Nefertiri reminded her._

_"Princesses, may I offer my opinion?" Anuk spoke, leaning against the wall. Nefertiri waved a hand. _

_"I think the mark of a true man is the one that can stay faithful to his wife."_

_"You are right, Anuk. I wish that all men saw it they way you do." Nefri sighed. "I refuse to share. If Ramses insists on keeping his harem, he will find himself short a wife." She declared._

_Nefertiri gaped at her. "You offer him an ultimatum? No one has ever dared to..he is Prince Regent, you are simply his sister-"_

_"Then I will be the first, will I not? Perhaps this is a true test of his love for me."_

_

* * *

_

_"Sister mine," Nefertiri sang, dancing into Nefri's quarters. _

_"What is it, dear sister?" Nefri said._

_"I was right. Guess who Ramses spent the night with?" _

_Nefri hissed. "Who?"_

_"Ka'nika!" _

_"Her! That -that disgusting-" Nefri sputtered, fuming. She narrowed her eyes and beckoned to her sister. "Help me make him sorry, Nefertiri." _

_She dressed quickly under the watchful eye of Nefertiri, who picked out a nearly transparent set of robes and a heavy necklace, accentuating her slender neck and well developed chest. She strode out of her chambers, arm in arm with Nefertiri. Servants bowed quickly as they passed, but to Nefri it seemed as if their eyes lingered on her, waiting for a reaction or maybe an expression of how she was feeling knowing about Ramses. She tossed her head disdainfully, eyes narrow and flinty. Nefertiri patted her hand, giving Nefri an encouraging smile. _

_"Princess! I hear the Prince Regent plans to marry you!" A young noble called as she passed. Nefri stopped suddenly, tugging on Nefertiri's arm to stop her as well. _

_"Actually, Lord Ausir, my consent now depends on a certain condition which I am about to impose." She smiled coldly, then relented a little as she noticed that the noble was not put off. He wasn't half bad looking, quite handsome, actually. _

_"What brings you to the palace, this early in the morn?" She inquired. _

_He laughed, "I'm honored that you'd ask, Princess, but it was a trivial matter of some land that is being disputed." _

_She inclined her head, "I am busy today, but perhaps I shall see you around court, then, Lord Ausir?" and then continued with a light step toward the throne room. She faltered slightly as she passed Ramses's chambers, but continued on until she heard-_

_"Nefri?" Nefri froze as she heard Ramses's voice from his open doorway. Nefri motioned for Nefertiri to continue on, which the other girl did after offering Nefri a reassuring smile. _

_"Ramses," Nefri pivoted to face him. She fought back a cringe as she noticed Ka'nika standing behind him, clutching a bedsheet to cover her naked body. It seemed to the princess that the concubine was smirking smugly at her, which fueled her rage. _

_"Leave, whore." She said, dangerously. Ka'nika foolishly opened her mouth to protest, believing that Ramses would shield her impertinence, but he waved his hand at her, dismissing her without a second glance. Nefri sneered at the older girl as the shamed concubine ducked her head and hurriedly left the two royals._

_"Ramses," she purred. She took a step closer, grinning smugly on the inside as she noticed his appreciative gaze rake her body. She sauntered right into his chambers, brushing past Ramses, who, she had just noticed, was nearly naked. She fought down a blush, scolding herself. _

_"Guess who I ran into this morning?" She asked, reclining on his bed. Ramses followed her over, standing quite close to the edge of the bed, his eyes betraying how much he liked the image of her in his bed. "Who?"_

_"Lord Ausir!" She chirped, ignoring his annoyed look at the mention of a young man. He'd clearly expected her to mention a priestess, her sister, or some other female. "You know something funny? He seemed to be under the impression that we were to be married." She got off the bed, approaching Ramses with narrowed eyes. _

_"Now, why on earth would he think that?" She hissed._

_Ramses seemed confused. "We are to be married, Nefri, I will have you as my wife and queen."_

_"Would you like to know something I've realized?" She asked, and didn't give him time to reply. "You have never asked me to marry you. Therefore, it is perfectly legitimate for me to flirt with Lord Ausir, is it not?" _

_"You will not." He seethed. _

_"I will do whatever I want, Ramses, brother darling, because you do not own me. I am not your wife." She shot. "In fact, I am quite angry at you. Now would be a good time to properly ask me to marry you, before you inadvertently anger me again."_

_Ramses gritted his teeth, before calming himself. "Nefri, sister darling," He said smoothly, "will you marry me?" _

_"On one condition," she purred, stepping close to him so they were chest to chest. He smirked down at her, raising an eyebrow. She dropped her gaze to his chest, pressing a kiss to his sternum. Ramses moaned as his hands shot out to grip her hips. "Ramses," she whispered. _

_"Nefri," he groaned as she traced his abdomen muscles. _

_"Get rid of your harem. I want all of your concubines gone." She said, carefully emphasizing every word. He jerked, opening his eyes to stare down at her. Nefri met his gaze steadily, without a hint of fear. _

_"Nefri, I can't get rid of my harem. I- Father - The amount of concubines one has shows wealth and prosperity! The mark of a successful man, a good man is-"_

_"No," she interrupted, eyes blazing, "A man that has concubines is a man with no self control, a man that is too weak to love his wife and his wife alone. A man with concubines is someone that cannot control his urges; a man with a harem is a man I cannot, will not marry. I refuse to share you with fifty, a hundred, other women."_

_She jerked herself out of his grasp, backing away from him as he reached for her, eyes torn. _

_"Nefri, I love you." He pleaded._

_"Not enough, Ramses. You don't love me enough." She shook her head, bangles clacking. "Tell me why, Ramses, I should marry you and go through the shame of watching you have other women, when I could easily marry another man, one who would treasure me and only me? Someone who would only look at me, who wouldn't dream of betraying me with another?" _

_"Nefri, it is my right as prince to have concubines! I-" _

_"Ramses, how would you feel if I told you that I slept with Lord Ausir?"_

_"You did what?" He roared. Nefri slitted her eyes and slapped Ramses. "You hypocrite!" She hissed. "How did you think I felt when I saw you with Ka'nika? I did not do anything of the sort with Lord Ausir, I was merely providing an example."_

_"Good." Ramses sat down heavily on his bed, rubbing his cheek._

_"Ramses," Nefri crouched beside him, lacing her fingers through his free hand. "Ramses, the mark of a good man is one that can love only one woman, someone that can stay faithful, because it requires great strength of character. It all comes down to you. What do you think is more important, your harem and your concubines, or me? Would you rather have a horde of whores, or a wife and queen?"  
_


	9. Chapter 9

Dear Readers,

This chapter is the last one that is set in Ancient Egypt. The story of Ramses and Nefri is far from over, but from this chapter on, I will be integrating their story as visions and dreams of their modern reincarnations, Ardeth and Nadia. So yes, some things may begin to look familiar soon. I don't own anything you recognize. Besides Nefri. I'm not sure yet whether the O'Connell's will make an appearance, but Imhotep definitely will be present.

Previously:

_"Ramses," Nefri crouched beside him, lacing her fingers through his free hand. "Ramses, the mark of a good man is one that can love only one woman, someone that can stay faithful, because it requires great strength of character. It all comes down to you. What do you think is more important, your harem and your concubines, or me? Would you rather have a horde of whores, or a wife and queen?"_

_

* * *

_

_Nefri didn't bother to wait for a response. Instead, she got up and left his chambers, leaving Ramses to stare after her. If he really wanted her that badly, she'd see it in his actions. But for now, she wanted to see Imhotep and reassure herself that she was doing the right thing_.

_Ra was still low in the sky when she left the palace, a handful of Med-Jai trailing her, but she knew Imhotep would be up. He was a chronically early riser. Thebes' marketplace was just opening, street vendors setting up their stalls, motions fogged by the last hazes of sleepiness. Nefri slowed her steps slightly, eying a brightly colored armband, but shook her head and resumed her pace toward the temple. As she suspected, the temple's priests were all up and about, preparing for the day's rites. Now if only she could find their leader. She ducked her head in his chambers, but it was pristine, sheets immaculate as if he'd never slept at all the night before. A quick check in his office revealed that it was empty, also. Nefri rolled her eyes in exasperation, grabbing a nearby priest._

_"Priest, where is Imhotep?" She asked coolly. The startled priest pointed in the direction of the sacrificial chambers. Nefri raised an eyebrow but headed toward the room. She wasn't surprised to see Imhotep in the room, however, his companion, was unexpected, but not altogether displeasing._

_"Imhotep? Anck?" She asked. Both said parties jumped, and whirled around, faces changing from guilt to stone. _

_"Now just what are you doing here, Anck?" Nefri said playfully, suggestively eying the distance between the two. Anck shook her head, opening her mouth to spout some excuse, but Nefri shook her head._

_"Not here, I must talk with both of you. Your offices, Imhotep?" _

_Imhotep nodded, albeit somewhat stiffly, and led the way to his rooms. Nefri glanced behind her and froze as she remembered the Med-Jai. Thinking quickly, she grabbed Anck's hand, wailing dramatically, "Oh, Anck! I completely forgot that I asked you to help Imhotep with the day's sacrifice because I could not be here!" Anck turned her head to look at her, confused. Nefri willed her to play along, slightly jerking her head at the accompanying Med-Jai. Anck caught on quickly, eyes widening slightly._

_"Oh yes, Princess, should I have sent word to you before I left? I thought I should be here early, because the temple begins the day very early in the morning, and-" Anck cut herself off as the door shut behind them. Nefri snorted, shaking her head._

_Anck started to laugh, sitting down on a nearby chair. Nefri leaned against the door, meeting Imhotep's gaze. The high priest was half sitting on the edge of his desk, hands braced at his sides, watching her coolly. Nefri shook her head._

_"Don't look at me like that, Imhotep. Have you two lain together yet?" She said casually._

_This time, both reddened and opened their mouths._

_"No matter, even if you had, I would not condemn you. I'm not too happy with Ramses or Father at the moment. Besides, Anck, I can't blame you, even if my father is Pharaoh, he's not exactly what anyone would call attractive." Nefri sighed. Anck raised an eyebrow. _

_"And even if you two would risk detection by pursuing a relationship.." Nefri continued, "You've been my friend for years, Imhotep. 11? I don't even know anymore. And Anck, you were there for me when I was at my lowest. I would not betray you." _

_"We are not-" Imhotep began, then cut himself off with a shrug. "What is it you wish to speak to us about?"_

_"Ramses has returned." Nefri began, glancing from Anck to Imhotep. "He, I- we got a little carried away. But I stopped, and I think he was frustrated, angry, because I did. And so, he, went to his concubine. Ka'nika."_

_Anck's nose scrunched in disgust as Imhotep's face expressed his bewilderment. "Who is Ka'nika?" _

_"An absolute bitch." Nefri answered. "I suppose she enjoys being a concubine. I'm so- so angry, and so insulted," She crumpled against the door, burying her face in her hands. Anck leapt up from her chair and knelt by the sobbing princess, leading her to the chair. _

_"I gave him an ultimatum," Nefri sniffled. "I told him I would only marry him if he got rid of his harem." Imhotep crossed the space of the room in two large strides, and knelt before Nefri, taking her hands in his as Anck tenderly wiped away her tears. _

_"If he truly loves you as much as he claims, he'll do it, little queen." Imhotep reassured her. "No sane man would take a bunch of silly women over a wife and queen." He glanced at Anck, "My apologies, Anck-su-Namun, I did not mean to offend."_

_"None taken, High Priest, I know I am not like those women." Anck replied haughtily, spine stiffening. Nefri suppressed another sob, allowing Imhotep to gather her in his arms. _

_"It's not just that," She sighed into his robed shoulder. "I'm not ready, to be a queen, I don't know if I ever will be."_

_"Nefri," Imhotep drew back to look at her. "Nefri, when Aapep stepped down, I wasn't ready to become High Priest. I'd only been training since I was 12, you know as well as I do how prepared I was because you were there with me. There are just some things that you'll never truly be prepared for, and this is one of them. But, little queen, you've grown up in a royal court. Diplomacy and behavior come as easily to you as breathing. Don't doubt yourself, because when the time comes, you'll have me, Anck, your sister and Ramses with you. Don't forget that Ramses has never been Pharaoh before, everything is as new to him as it is to you. You will make a great queen, Nefri, I know it."_

_"Thank you, rashidi," (wise one) Nefri teased. _

_"You have time yet, Nefri," Anck commented. "Pharaoh is strong, he will last for a while," Nefri didn't miss the slight bitterness in her voice. _

_"Yes, I know. Thank you, Anck, and Imhotep, for comforting me. I must return to the palace now before someone notices my absence." Nefri rose, swiping at her wet cheeks. Imhotep offered her a cloth to wipe her face, and Nefri accepted it gratefully, thankful that she'd not applied any kohl that morning._

_"I will accompany you, Princess, I too must return." Anck stood, offering her hand to the princess. Imhotep stood and watched his favorite princess walk out the door. _

_"Nefri," he called. She paused, but did not turn. "Do not forget that you are Meritmut-Nefri, you are strong." (Beloved of Mut). Nefri nodded, and slipped out of the doorway._

_"What will you do when you see Ramses?" Anck asked, walking at Nefri's side. Nefri shrugged, and cast the older girl a despairing glance. _

_"I don't know."_

_

* * *

"__Ah, Daughter! I was looking for you! Anck-su-Namun, if you will excuse us." Seti greeted them as they entered the throne room. Anck slipped away silently as Nefri took a ragged breath. _

_"I would like to introduce you to Lord Ausir, Nefri, he is about your age." Seti gestured to the young man standing near his throne. Nefri raised an eyebrow. What was Seti planning? He very well knew that Nefri and Ausir were already acquainted. "Ausir, my boy, this is my beautiful daughter, Nefri, beloved of Isis." Nefri cast a glance at her father. He hadn't referred to her as such for a very long time. What was he up to? A twinkle in his eyes betrayed nothing, however. _

_"Princess Nefri, you truly outshine the stars with your beauty," came Ausir's voice. So that was how it was, was it? He was pretending they hadn't seen each other that very morning._

_"Lord Ausir, you exaggerate greatly. But I appreciate the compliment, nevertheless." She smiled at him. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Seti smile wider as she smiled. She almost missed the smug glance thrown at- there!_

_That was why her father was grinning like a satiated crocodile. Because, there, in the shadows of the throne room, was Ramses. And he was fuming. Nefri gulped inaudibly and quickly averted her eyes, ignoring him. _

_Did Seti know?_

_How could he?_

_What was he trying to do? Too many questions. Nefri shook her head slightly and smiled as her father began to talk about some matter with his vizier. _

_She was so tired. Her eyes slipped closed as she crumpled to the ground, hearing Ramses's alarmed cry before her world went black.  
_


	10. Chapter 10

Anything you recognize, I don't own.

* * *

1926: Cairo

Location: Just outside the Cairo Prison

* * *

"Hey, what? Lady, I thought we were going to, you-know, Seti's place?" Rick complained as he was dragged along the rapidly darkening Cairo streets.

Evelyn quickly shushed him, looking around nervously. "Jonathan, what number did she say her house was again?"

Jonathan pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket, turning it over a few times and comparing it to the numbers on the houses before them. "Ah! It's that one."

The trio quickly hurried toward the house, glad to be out of the streets as being caught out on the streets at night in Cairo was dangerously foolhardy. Evy quickly rapped on the door, nervously glancing around. Light footsteps sounded from behind them as all three whirled around defensively. A small woman held her hands up.

"Whoa, whoa. Evy? Jon? What're you guys doing here?"

"Nadia! How absolutely brilliant to see you! We were just-" Jonathan started, scratching his head.

"Let me guess, you want me to go on an expedition with you." Nadia said sarcastically.

"Well, yes, you see," Evy jumped in. "Can we go in and discuss this?"

Nadia moved past and quickly unlocked her door, flipping on the lights and shutting and latching the door quickly. Behind her, Evelyn and Jonathan were quickly pulling the blinds and closing windows.

"So, my dear cousins, what is it this time? Amarna? Abu Simbel? Luxor?"

"Hamunaptra," Evy said in a hushed voice. "We have the map, and the key, and a guide. This is Rick O'Connell." She gestured to Rick.

"Rick, nice to meet you, I'm Nadia Carnahan, Evy and Jonathan's cousin." Nadia smiled at the American.

Rick raised an eyebrow. "You don't look anything like them,"

"I'm half Egyptian like Evy, cousins twice over, but I inherited more of my mother's Egyptian looks."

"Anyway," Jonathan cut in, "come with us, Nadia, we could use you! Think of all that treasure..buried under the sand." He sighed, staring off into space as he imagined the wealth.

"You're the only person within a hundred miles, beside me, that can read and write Ancient Egyptian, decipher hieroglyphics and hieratic, and unlike me, you can speak Arabic! We need you, Nadia, please! This was Father's dream." Evy begged.

"Come on, Nadia Claire, where's your sense of adventure?" Jonathan asked.

She gave him a nasty look. "You of all people asking me that? Why don't you find yours first? Alright, fine! I'll go."

* * *

Next morning, docks.

* * *

Evy sighed, pivoting to face Jonathan and Nadia, both of whom were inconspicuously looking around the docks. "Do you really think he'll show up?"

Nadia snorted, "He'd be a fool not to."

Jonathan shrugged. "Undoubtedly, I know the breed. He may be a cowboy, but his word is his word."

"Personally, I think he's filthy, rude and a complete scoundrel. I don't like him one bit." Evy said. Nadia's eyes widened as she caught sight of Rick behind Evy.

"Anyone I know?" He said casually. Evy spun around, mouth dropping open at the sight of a clean, shaven Rick. Nadia and Jonathan exchanged looks, and fought back laughs.

"Oh..um, hello," Evy said uncomfortably. Jonathan took pity on his sister and grabbed Rick's hand, shaking it. Rick quickly checked his pockets and sighed in relief when his wallet was still there.

"Mr. O'Connell, can you look me in the eye, and guarantee me this is not some sort of flimflam? Because if it is, I'm warning you -"

Rick got right in Evy's face. "All I can tell you, miss, is that my Colonel found that map in an ancient fortress, and the whole damn garrison believed in it so much, that without orders, we marched halfway across Libya and into Egypt to find that city. Like I told ya, all I saw was sand. Everybody else was wiped out by Tuareg warriors. I'll take your bags." He grabbed their bags and spun around as he hefted Nadia's.

"What the hell didja put in here? It weighs a ton!" He exclaimed. Nadia shrugged. "Just a few, necessities."

"Right." He said, still disbelieving, but headed up the gangplank.

Nadia turned to Evy just in time to see her older cousin's eyes following the American.

"Filthy, rude, complete scoundrel, huh Evy? Nothing to like at all." She grinned. Evy gave her the evil eye. Just then, a man in a Warden's outfit stepped up.

"What are you doing here?" Evy exclaimed.

"Came ta protect my investment, thank you very much." He stated, slightly offended. Evy and Jonathan shared a horrified look, while Nadia stepped away from the smelly man. The three Carnahans quickly hurried up the gangplank as the Warden followed.

* * *

Night, Aboard the barge en route to Hamunaptra.

* * *

Nadia sat with Evy at a table, overlooking the quiet river.

"How's life been treating you, Evy?" She asked quietly.

Evy shrugged. "I've been working at the museum, as you know, the curator is quite...a character. I'm so clumsy in the library, but I'm the best qualified so he can't really say much."

Nadia laughed. "Oh, I've met the curator a few times. He's always been polite, but sometimes, I feel like he's scrutinizing me for no apparent reason. He looks at me oddly, and sometimes when I look at him, I think I know him from somewhere, but then I blink, and it passes. I don't know what to make of it."

Evy cast a glance at her younger cousin. "Yes, he does have a tendency to stare people down, and I've had the same feelings as well. I can't quite place where I've seen him, but he looks so familiar sometimes, I almost want to ask where I know him from. It's probably just me being silly, and being overworked."

Nadia nodded, not quite satisfied with her answer, but accepting it.

"But how have you been? Still working at the hospital?" Evy asked, turning away from the river.

"Yes, I'm on paid leave, thank god. It's been hectic." Nadia smiled slightly.

"Uncle would've been so proud, Aunty too. Nursing is quite difficult, and you're only 19." Evy smiled.

Nadia laughed. "I like to think so too."

Their conversation was cut short as Rick approached, carrying a gunnysack. He plopped it on the table and Evy jumped.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya."

"The only thing that scares me, Mr. O'Connell, are your manners." Evy replied stiffly.

"Still angry that I kissed ya, huh?" Rick smirked. Nadia raised an eyebrow at Evy, who flushed.

"If you call that a kiss." Evy glared. Rick made a face, "Ouch." He reached into his gunnysack, pulling out an assortment of guns, dynamite and knives. Nadia tensed involuntarily, her hand going to her thigh, relaxing slightly as she felt the familiar dagger strapped to her thigh.

"Did I miss something? Are we going into battle?" Evy drawled. Rick looked at her.

"The last time I was there, everyone I was with died." Evy's smile disappeared. Rick began to clean the guns. Nadia shrugged.

"Not surprising. If the Tuareg and Bedouins don't get you, the Med-Jai will." She commented, leaning back in her chair.

"Med-what?" Evy asked, confused.

"Med-Jai. Warriors for God, they call themselves. They guard Hamunaptra. They're rather..hard to miss, clothed in all black with tattoos on their faces."

Rick sucked in a breath. "Yeah, they were out there. Along with whatever's buried out in the sand. Evil."

Evy sniffed. "I don't believe in fairy tales and hokum, Mr. O'Connell, but I do believe that one of the most famous books in history is buried out there, The Book Of The Living. It's what first interested me in Egypt as a child. It's why I came here, sort of a life's pursuit."

Rick scoffed. "And the fact that it's made of solid gold means nothing to you?"

"Maybe to Jonathan," Nadia grinned.

"You know your history." Evy said, shocked.

"No, I know my treasure." Rick stated.

Nadia rose from her chair, rolling her eyes as Evy hesitated. "By the way- why did you kiss me?" Nadia didn't bother to wait for an answer and walked back to the rooms that she was sharing with Evy. A few minutes later, Evy stormed in.

"Ohh the nerve of that man!" She fumed.

Nadia raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, I think you seem to like him. He is quite handsome, isn't he?" She wiggled her eyebrows. Evy huffed and swatted at Nadia. Nadia dodged the librarian's halfhearted blow and darted into the bathroom, grabbing her nightgown, calling over her shoulder, "You should change for sleep!"

In the bathroom, Nadia swiftly stripped, dropping her clothes onto the toilet lid, as she changed into her short black nightgown. She unstrapped her dagger from her thigh, debating whether or not to leave it on. She frowned as she heard an unfamiliar voice in the room, but passed it off as a steward. She shook her hair out, waves of long black hair tumbling over her shoulder, and picked up her clothes and dagger and headed back into the room.

A tall, black clad man had Evy by the waist, hand over her mouth. He lifted his arm, and the candlelight fell upon a wicked looking hook in place of a hand, and a face covered in dark blue tattoos.

"Then I'll find it myself." He sneered, ready to slice Evy open. Without thinking, Nadia dropped her clothes and was in front of the man, her dagger clashing with his hook, before she could blink.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Med-jai." She taunted. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the doors being kicked open, and Rick O'Connell stormed in, guns ready.

"Friend of yours?" He asked sarcastically.

Rick fired a round, killing a Med-jai that was climbing in the window. The hook-handed man was momentarily distracted by the demise of his comrade, and Nadia used the opportunity to pry his hand from Evy and send her cousin stumbling away from the two of them as Nadia's other hand brought her dagger down in a sweeping arc, aiming for his chest. With a roar, he blocked with his hook and they engaged in combat. Hook was clearly not expecting much skill from the girl that had stopped him, a mistake that Nadia quickly made him regret. As Rick continued firing, he quickly dragged Evy behind him, just in time, as one of his gunshots hits a lantern, igniting the kerosene and the room on fire. Hook stumbled as Nadia delivered a kick to his man parts, falling to the ground. Nadia quickly snatched up her bag, slinging it onto her back as Rick hurried her and Evy out of the room.

"The map! We need the map!" Evy said frantically.

"Relax! I'm the map, remember?" Rick tapped his forehead. "It's all up here."

Nadia gave him a disbelieving glance, but decided against retrieving the map, which was probably already ash. They raced onto the deck, finding total pandemonium. Bullets connected with wild abandon, prompting Evy and Nadia to duck as a barrage of shots obliterated a wall behind them. Rick shot the padlock off a horse paddock, prompting the horses inside to stampede, trampling a final Med-Jai. The flames from another broken lantern were beginning to engulf the boat.

"Can you swim?" He yelled to Evy.

"Well of course I can swim, if the occasion calls for it." Evy replied, baffled.

"Trust me," He heaved her over the deck. "The occasion calls for it." He turned to Nadia, but she was already stepping onto the railings, preparing to dive. He eyes the pack on her back.

"Will you be able to swim with that?"

Nadia snorted, turning back to him.

"Trust me," she parroted. "I'll be fine." She leaped into the dark water, sinking and resurfacing some distance away from the quickly burning boat. She struck out for shore, catching up to a soaking wet Evy and Warden, both shivering on shore. She and Evy began to wring out their sopping wet nightgowns, clinging tightly to their bodies. Nadia swung her bag down from her shoulders, setting it on the sandy shore. As she looked up, Rick and Jonathan emerged from the water, both panting and Jonathan clutching the puzzle box. Nadia shook out her now wet hair, catching a glimpse of a group of horsemen standing on a nearby bank, staring straight at them. She locked eyes with the leader, noting the tattoos on his face. More Med-Jai.

"Hey, O'Connell! Looks to me like I got all the horses!" A man shouted from across the river.

"Hey, Beni!" Rick mocked. "Looks to me like you're on the wrong side of the river!"

Nadia broke eye contact with the Med-Jai leader as she bent down to her bag, unzipping it and checking the contents. Rick knelt down opposite her, jaw unhinging as he glimpsed the contents of her bag.

"Necessities, huh?"

Knives. Throwing knives, hunting knives, daggers, sheaths, a belt, and a pair of sai, all glinting coldly in the light of the moon.

"Can you use all those?" He asked, after several attempts to talk.

"Course I can, what do you think I am? Helpless?" Nadia pulled her dagger out of its sheath and restrapped it to her thigh, under her nightgown. She fastened the belt around her waist, cinching her drying nightgown. She took out her sai and carefully stored them in her belt, and took a pair of throwing knives.

"We have to get going," she said, standing up. She noticed Evy still shivering, and threw her a sympathetic look. "Rick, there are Med-Jai over there, and those were Med-Jai on the boat." She pointed to the riverbank, and Rick cursed as he noticed the watching horsemen.

"C'mon, we gotta move, now!" He zipped Nadia's bag, and handed it to her. "Guess you wanna carry your own bag?" She took it with a nod. The five of them took a last glance at the men on the bank, then started walking.

* * *

"I can't believe the prices of these fleabags!" Jonathan complained. The Bedouin trader he was talking to repeated himself in Arabic and Jonathan groaned, handing over the money.

"You know, we coulda had them for free. All we had to do was give them your sister and cousin." Rick remarks, leading a camel by the reins.

"Awfully tempting, wasn't it?"

Evelyn and Nadia stepped out of a tent, both clad in traditional Bedouin dresses.

"Yeah," Rick muttered. "Awfully."

Nadia threw him a knowing grin, going over to her camel and cooing to it. It obediently kneeled for her, as she scrambled on with a grin. She adjusted her veil and clucked to her camel, grinning widely as it stood. Jonathan approached his with an apprehensive look as the others swung onto their respective camels.

"Er, down?" He asked. His camel snorted into his hair, and stubbornly refused to obey as Evy and Rick laughed. Nadia managed to hide her grin, but full out laughed as Jonathan's camel headbutted him, sending him to the ground.

It finally took pity on him and kneeled, the Englishman scrambling on, relieved.

* * *

"You know, I never did like camels. Filthy buggers." Jonathan announced. "They smell, they bite, they spit. Disgusting."

Nadia looked at the warden, who was consuming a chicken leg as flies buzzed around his head. "Yeah, disgusting." She echoed.

Evy giggled, "I think they're quite cute," patting her camel on the head. Nadia giggled too, suddenly, urging her camel on and bumping Evy's camel. Evy retaliated by having her camel chase Nadia's. Nadia screamed hysterically as the girls' camels began chasing each other. Evy and Nadia were breathless by the time Rick and Jonathan and the warden caught up.

* * *

Above, the stars glittered in the vast night sky as five riders trekked across the shifting desert. Nadia cringed as the warden let out another earth shattering snore.

"Can't we..muzzle him?" She whispered to Rick.

"Do you have a muzzle?" Rick whispered back.

"..."

"On second thought..We could just..leave him." She whispered. Rick shook his head.

"Tempting." He gently pushed Evy back into her saddle as she began to slide out. He looked at her for a moment, then spotted a distant ridge. Nadia tensed as Rick locked eyes with the leader of the Med-Jai.

"Again?" He hissed.

"Rick, not many people survive Hamunaptra. Some of it is the harsh conditions of the desert, but the Med-Jai are also a big part of the reason why no one survives to tell the location." Nadia said softly.

"How do you know all this?"

"I've heard stories..I work at a hospital, there are many Med-Jai in Cairo."

* * *

Morning, Sahara Desert, nearing Hamunaptra.

* * *

"We're almost there." Rick informed Evy and Nadia quietly. Behind them, Jonathan and the warden bickered back and forth. As they emerged from behind a dune, Rick, Nadia and Evy caught sight of the American expedition, Beni, Henderson, Daniels, and Burns.

Everyone came to a stop. Henderson spoke. "Well, what're we waiting for?"

All of a sudden, a huge shape rose with the sun, resembling a huge volcano. The three Americans whooped and raced toward it, yelling back at Rick, "See ya there, O'Connell!"

Evy and Jonathan exchanged looks. "Er, shouldn't we be.."

Nadia shook her head. "That's not Hamunaptra. Idiots are going the wrong way." She frowned, eyebrows scrunching. "How do I know that? I've never..." Rick cast her a curious glance, but refrained from commenting as the real Hamunaptra was revealed. With a whoop, Rick and Beni took off, Nadia slightly behind them, Evy and Jonathan following, the Americans bringing up the rear. Beni started whipping Rick with his horse whip, and Nadia cursed, furious at the slimy man. She rode up beside him, and with a nod to Rick, grabbed his camel's reins as Rick knocked Beni off his camel. Nadia dragged Beni's camel with her for a decent distance, so that Beni would have no hope of catching up, then swatted the camel in the direction of the city.

Evy rode up, laughing as Nadia gave chase, also laughing. Rick fell behind a little as he watched the two girls. Evy sped up, determined to be in Hamunaptra first, ignoring Rick's calls of warning. Nadia drew back, noticing a large drop behind the ramp Evy was rapidly ascending.

"Evy! Evy! Watch out, there's a- Never mind," Nadia and Rick muttered simultaneously as Evy flew head over heels and crashed into a sand dune. Nadia sighed as she dismounted her camel and went to check on her clumsy cousin.

* * *

Evy and Nadia crept along the narrow passageway in Hamunaptra, holding their breaths, as Rick followed them, Jonathan and the warden bringing up the rear.

"The statue of Anubis." Evy murmured to Nadia. Both girls gasped as they heard a strange sound, Nadia's hand automatically going to her sai. Rick leaped in front of them, cocking his guns as he approached. Three faces leapt out of the darkness, as Nadia cursed and drew her sai.

"Ya scared the bejeezus out of us, O'Connell." Henderson remarked.

"This here is our statue, friend." Daniels leered.

"Don't see your name on it..pal." Rick returned. As he spoke, Beni, an Egyptologist and a crew of diggers stepped out of the darkness, guns pointed at Rick.

"Ten to one, O'Connell, your odds are not-so-good." Beni spoke.

Nadia sneered as Jonathan and the warden both raised guns. "Make that ten to four, you little rat." She stepped forward, raising her sai as Beni gulped and drew back. "I could have you gutted before you even have time to pull that trigger." She threatened.

"Let's be nice, children, if we have to play together, we must learn to share." Evy put a hand on Rick's gun arm, lowering it. She led them to a lower level, and directed them to begin hammering on the roof. Nadia looked around, uneasy as she sheathed her sai and began tracing the wall paintings. The chamber was all too familiar. She closed her eyes.

* * *

_"Niy! Niy!" She screamed as her life friend was mummified alive. "Imhotep!" She could hear his tongue-less screams, but he was unable to articulate without his tongue. Nefri turned away, shedding bitter tears as a Med-Jai, Anuk, placed his hand on her shoulder. She watched, brokenly, as he was placed in a sarcophagus filled with scarabs, cursed with the hom-dai, cursed to endure eternity in torturous pain, hanging between life and death. The flickering torchlights illuminated the words the Med-Jai were carving into the sarcophagus, "He that shall not be named." "Niy, niy," she sobbed into her hands. _

_She wept for Imhotep, for Anck-su-Namun, her dead would-have-been mother in law, whose soul was now cursed to the underworld, and she wept for her father, killed when Imhotep and Anck's love was exposed. She wept for her sister, Nefertiri, who'd jumped off her balcony as she saw their father murdered. She wept for Anuk, Nefertiri's lover, and Ramses, her brother and husband, away on a journey, unknowing that he had just been made Pharaoh, and she wept for herself, now queen of Egypt. _

_"Imhotep, Imhotep, please, niy, niy," she gasped, watching his sarcophagus being lowered. "You know not what you've done, Med-Jai!" She turned and ran out of the chamber, unable to remain._

_

* * *

_"Nadia? Nadia? Nadia?"

Nadia jerked awake. "Gah! What?" Evy's face stared at her worriedly. She wordlessly pointed to the sarcophagus that Rick and Jonathan had unearthed. Nadia approached it apprehensively, already knowing what she would find. Her fingers traced the single hieroglyphic, "He that shall not be named." Leaning close to the coffin, she could feel an odd vibration, a hum of life coming from inside. She gasped and jerked back. He was alive, alive, he was inside, and he _knew_ who she was. "Imhotep," Nadia mouthed soundlessly. She felt his presence, and was jerked into another memory.

* * *

_"Aapep taught me how to manipulate air today!" A fourteen year old Imhotep boasted to a seven year old Nefri. She raised an eyebrow. _

_"Really?"_

_Imhotep summoned a sphere of compressed air, grinning as he tossed it at a nearby maid. She shrieked as the sudden gust of wind caused her skirts to fly up. _

_"Teach me!" Nefri demanded. _

_"I don't know if I can.." The boy looked apprehensive, then thoughtful. He stared hard into Nefri's eyes. "Can you hear me, Nefri?" He thought to her. Her eyes widened as she nodded. _

_"Feel the world around you," he instructed. "Now imagine what you want to happen and it will happen." Nefri closed her eyes and imagined a ball of fire in her hand. Her eyes popped open as she felt the warmth of something in her hand. Sure enough, there was a crackling sphere of flames in her hand. Nefri shrieked and it disappeared, just as a thirteen year old Ramses poked his head into her chambers, hearing the noise. Nefri smiled weakly at her brother, waving. _

_"Hi, Ramses.."_

_

* * *

_Nadia opened her eyes, still bent over Imhotep's sarcophagus. She furrowed her brow, thoughtful, then reached out with her mind, probing the surrounding consciousness. She recoiled with a gasp as she felt the ancient mind touch hers.

"Nefri?" A deep voice spoke in her mind. Imhotep's voice.

She backed away from the coffin, shaking her head, mouthing, "No, no, no, no.."

"You _are_ Nefri!" The voice in her head exclaimed. "But you are not the same."

Nadia couldn't resist replying to that. "Well yeah, death and three thousand years tend to do that to a person." She thought sarcastically. She felt his shock as his mind recoiled.

"Three thousand years? You are not Nefri, yet you are! I can feel my life friend in you. Who _are_ you?"

"Nadia Carnahan... " Nadia blinked. "And, apparently, Nefri Merit-en-mut, Queen of Egypt and Beloved of Ramses II. I don't know how I know this, but something in me is telling me so."

"The soul of my life friend resides in you, young Nadia Carnahan...you are a reincarnation, it is fate-" His voice abruptly faded from her consciousness as Nadia lost her focus. Evy was shaking her shoulder.

"Nadia, Nadia! Are you all right? This is the second time.."

"I'm fine, Evy, really, just lost in thought. I wonder what our parents would have thought if they were here now? They'd be so proud.." Nadia trailed off as tears pooled in her and Evy's eyes.

"Yes, they would." Evy dashed away her tears as Rick and Jonathan uncomfortably looked on.

"I say, Evy, shouldn't we open it?" Jonathan asked.

"Yes, yes," Evy said as she fumbled with the key. Rick moved to the side, guns pointed at the sarcophagus.

"What're you going to do? Shoot him?" Nadia asked, amused.

"If he decides to wake up, hell yes!" Rick replied, clearly spooked. Evy opened the key, and carefully placed it in the lock on the sarcophagus. She turned it carefully, and the chamber was filled with the sound of a three thousand year old lock slowly grinding open, worn down by time. She tried to push off the lid, but it was too heavy for her. Nadia joined her, heaving against the heavy stone lid, but it didn't budge.

"O'Connell, put your guns down and help us!" She called. Rick reluctantly holstered his guns and joined the two girls in their effort. Jonathan began pulling on the other side of the sarcophagus, and finally the lid began to give way. It popped open suddenly, and with a hiss, the mummy inside jumped up. Evy and Jonathan screamed. Rick barely refrained from joining them. Nadia merely stared with curiosity, comparing the blackened, deformed mummy to the man in her memory.

They had the same jawbone. She could see Imhotep in that mummy. As she watched, her mind replaced the mummy with an image of Imhotep, which was far more pleasant than the sight of a blackened, rotten mummy. The image disappeared after a moment, and Nadia shook her head, completely disgusted as a scarab skittered over his mummified body.

"...Is he supposed to look like that..?" Rick asked slowly.

Evy shook her head. "I-No.I've never seen a mummy look like this. He's..He's still-"

"Juicy." Jonathan and Rick spoke.

"He was buried alive." Nadia spoke. All three looked at her. She pointed to the inside of the sarcophagus, where there was blood and fingernail scratches. "Death is only the beginning, it says."

"He's over four thousand years old and still decomposing." Evy said quietly, unnerved.

* * *

"According to my readings, our friend suffered the hom-dai, the worst of all Ancient Egyptian curses, one reserved for only the most evil blasphemers. In all my research, I've never read of this curse actually being performed." Evy said, holding a few scarab skeletons.

"That bad, huh?" Rick spoke.

"Yes, they never used it because they feared it so. It's written, that if a victim of the hom-dai should ever arise, he would bring with him the ten plagues of Egypt."

Nadia lounged on the sand, tuning Evy out. She was only repeating what Nadia already knew, courtesy of Nefri. She lifted her sai lazily, spinning it around in her hand as she watched the flames dance. As she did, she got an idea in her head.

"I'm going to go-er- use the facilities." She called over her shoulder as she walked toward the temple. She vaguely heard someone yell something in response. As soon as she was out of sight, she crouched and removed all her weapons. She stood, facing the setting sun. Her eyes slid closed as she opened her mind and imagined a ball of fire. She jumped as she opened her eyes and eyed the flickering flames in front of her. It wasn't as good as Nefri had done, but it was at least substantial. She felt Nefri's hum of approval in the back of her mind. Nadia could feel the princess, no, queen's presence more strongly within her because she'd acknowledged her memories, back in Imhotep's burial chambers.

"Nefri." Nadia said softly.

_"Yes?"_ The queen replied in her mind.

"Why me?"

_"My dear girl, the gods have been planning this for a long time. There are many unresolved issues between myself, Ramses, Imhotep, Anck-su-Namun, Nefertiri and Anuk. I was reborn in you, just like Anuk was reborn in Rick O'Connell, a western Med-jai, and Nefertiri was reborn in Evy Carnahan, your cousin. Nefertiri died prematurely, by her own doing. If she had lived, she would have gone on to do many things, which she will have a chance to do in this life."_

"Redemption."

"_Yes. For the past three thousand years, it has been a never ending cycle, mirroring the events in Egypt so long ago. Out of all of us, only Ramses and I survived past that fateful night. Anuk killed himself soon after Nefertiri's death. I have been reborn many times, in many different young girls, but the cycle has never been broken. Imhotep and Anck-su-Namun have never had their chance to be together. Nefertiri and Anuk have never had a chance to love openly. And Ramses and I have not been reunited for the past three thousand years."_

_"_History says he went mad after the death of his Great Royal Wife. Was that you? Me? I don't even know anymore."

_"Nadia, we are one and the same, identical souls. You have my memories, and my spirit resides within you. But we are also separate. You are still Nadia Carnahan, and you will always be Nadia Carnahan. You are not defined by me, and I am not defined by you. You are me after three thousand years of rebirths. You are a product of my mistakes and my learning."_

"So basically, I am you, and you are me, but we're different people. You're the dead three thousand year old queen of Egypt, and I'm the nineteen year old healer and warrior who just happens to share your soul?"

"_Close enough."_

"I-" Nadia cut herself off as she heard screaming and gunshots from the American camps. She hurriedly picked up her knives, picking up a throwing knife as she crept closer to the base camp.

_

* * *

_Two dozen Med-jai riders cut through the American camps, cutting down diggers left and right. Out of the corner of her eye, Nadia saw Rick O'Connell joining in the fray, Evy and Jonathan stumbling after him. Nadia rose slightly from her crouch behind a small sand dune, raising her throwing arm. She spotted the leader of the Med-jai about to cut Rick down, and quickly snapped her arm forward, aiming for the Med-jai next to him as to give Rick time to defend himself. Her blade cut through the air, spinning wildly, and lodged itself in the throat of her Med-jai target. The Med-jai looked at his comrade, dismayed, and Rick seized his opportunity, nodding to Nadia, and blasted the Med-jai's scimitar out of his hands.

Nadia gasped as another rider came between Rick and the leader, nearly swiping Rick's head off. She quickly dispatched another knife, this one hitting the rider's shoulder and bringing him down with a howl of agony. She suddenly spotted Evy crouched behind some rocks, watching the scene with a huge gun sitting awkwardly in her lap. Nadia quickly made her way over to her terrified cousin. "Evy, what are you doing here? It's dangerous and you don't know how to fight." She spun around as she heard the clatter of a horse approaching, and her eyes widened as she spotted a Med-jai rider bearing down on them. She quickly grabbed the gun from Evelyn, tucking her older cousin behind her, and fired. The force of the shot blasted the Med-jai rider off his horse and back a good fifty feet. Nadia stumbled slightly as she felt the impact of the shot.

"Stay here, Evy, do you know how to use the gun?" Nadia quickly handed the gun to Evy. The young woman nodded. Nadia quickly drew her sai and leaped into the fray, dodging bullets and Med-jai, making her way over to Rick.

"O'Connell, behind you!" She called. Rick spun around just as the leader of the Med-jai swung his scimitar, knocking the gun out of Rick's hands. She raced to his side, raising her sai to block the Med-jai's scimitar as he swung it down toward Rick. She stood in front of Rick, both her sai blocking the sword. She looked straight at the leader of the Med-jai.

_Oh my goodness..he's very good looking._ She thought to herself. _In fact, he almost looks like.._ She cut herself off as Rick rolled and came up with a stick of dynamite, lighting the fuse in the campfire quickly. She backed away from the leader of the Med-jai, not breaking eye contact. His face was shocked, and his eyes widened in recognition. His light brown eyes, Ramses's eyes, quickly looked her up and down and returned to her eyes as Rick placed himself between her and him, protectively.

"Nefri." The Med-jai said.

"Ramses." She replied.


End file.
